Combined barometer and thermometer, by Isaac Robelou, 1719

Barometer and thermometer by Isaac Robelou, London, England, 1719

In the bottle tube type of mercury barometer, the tube includes an open bulb at the lower end to act as a reservoir for the mercury. Half a century after the original experiments by Torricelli, the barometer was a decorative piece of furniture. Isaac Robelou of London decorated this one in the Chinese style, and with an extra spirit thermometer.